Well, it's been 2 weeks since I watched this video and learned what the flue damper was actually for. Until now it has just remained un the fully open position leaving me blissfully unaware that huge amounts of heat was just scooshing up the flue in a futile bid to keep France warm. Now, thanks to Hugh, I close the damper at the appropriate time and the once errant heat is now heating up the firebox and hence the lounge. The really useful upshot of this is that I now typically burn about 1/3rd less fuel each night and the room gets warmer quicker and stays warm longer as the firebox is hotter. Happy days ! ( oops, that's another channel)
One of the billion reasons I love this channel is how you both always present something with the clarity, intelligence, experience of an adult mixed with that "childish" star-in-the-eyes kind of vibe. It's like that "look guys this stuff's awesome" yet calmly explain with passion how to use/do something in a clear, well spoken manner. There's barely any homesteading channel that manages to give that passionate feeling - yours is one of them, and it hit bullseye. Awesome video once again.
Chickens or not- I can’t get enough of your enthusiasm, me and my family take are hats off to you are we know running a farm isn’t easy, as we do run one, but to film and document it all for people to learn from, well I just find that incredible, so thank you Hue and Fiona
Grew up with a wood burning range...although we burned turf in ours. It heated the water with the back-boiler, cooked our meals, heated the house and dried our clothes. Added bonus, warm shoes and socks in the morning if left beside it the night before. The oven was big. We could cook a large turkey in it for Christmas dinner. One year, due to a power cut, we were cooking our neighbour's Christmas dinner along with our own. First time we realised that not everyone had one. We took the knowledge for granted too of how to work one. We thought everyone knew how. My mother baked homemade bread, apple and rhubarb tarts and a myriad of other homemade goodies. Dad was clever and had the bath against the back wall where the wood burning range was. Never had issues with mould or damp. You don't realise how lucky you were until you move out of your parents house. Oil and gas heating systems just aren't the same. Here, they're pulling old ranges out of council houses. Now the people are looking for them back because the new systems are so rubbish. Thanks Hugh.
We have a gorgeous range that came with our farm. We love it over winter! We often have a pot of 'perpetual stew' on it for several weeks when it gets really cold.
I love wood burning cookers. We have had a Nordica since 2008. I only wish at the time we could of had one with a back boiler but just had to go with what we could afford.
@@EnglishCountryLife Sorry, I was meaning a back boiler to supply hot water not central heating. We don't have a hot water storage cylinder. If we had one installed it would have had to go in the attic above the cooker so wouldn't need electric. Our hot water is supplied by a direct line gas heater. The Nordica heats our whole bungalow. We just leave all the room doors open.🙂
First I want to complement you on this video. I have watched a lot of wood stove cooking videos and yours is really of a higher quality than most. Well done. Second, when my wife and I were looking for wood burning cookers over a decade ago, and after a lot of research, we narrowed it down to two stoves: The Esse and the La Nordica Rossella Plus Forno. We finally selected the La Nordica. Not that the Esse was an inferior stove (quite the contrary), rather that the La Nordica simply fit into our space and use pattern better on many levels. Including, but not limited to, we mostly winter cook only in the oven, and have little use for hobs (that is a grossly simplified explanation, but good enough for a youtube comment .... 🙂). Hope this helps. Side note: I only use the top down fire starting method myself. Solves the cool flue issue at startup (.... usually.... else then cracking a window corrects this in all other cases) and avoids having to open the firebox door during startup to add wood (which always adds smoke into the living area, decreasing air quality). Again, hope this helps.
brilliant tutorial, I live on a wide beam barge and have an Esse Iron heart it is absolutely brilliant for heating and cooking, first time last year doing Christmas dinner and it came out spot on.
@@EnglishCountryLife Yes, smokeless coal and an abundance of free wood, working as a manager on construction sites I get first dibs of any timber destined for the skip, half a bucket of coal when I go to bed and its still glowing in the morning, such a great combination of fire and oven.
Very informative video Hugh. The previous one was common knowledge for me, but i'm sure it was useful for those who don't know. I've never used a proper wood fired range, so had no idea about most of this stuff. Very interesting. Look forward to your next one. Hope you and Fiona are well. 🙂
If you're using you wood burner for lengths of time, I'd highly recommend getting an ash tray- I'd love one on mine, I have to clean it out and it's a pain.
Awesome info! I have some exposure to wood fires, but i was young. So the process of cooking on one, was not taught tto me. I know you stick your kettle or pot on it. Open the plate, for direct fire under the pot. Closed for no fire. And no oven on the ones i was around.
I grew up with solid fuel Rayburn's. The massive kettle lives on the oven side unless boiling water is needed, we also have a back boiler on them so in one of the bedrooms in the farm worker workers cottage (mine) stayed extra cosy without the bedroom fireplace lit.
I've lived with a wood for 4 winters now and never knew what the flue damper was for or how to use it. I thought it was to stop things falling down into the firebox during the summer! Doh ! Am I right in thinking that closing the damper once the fire is up to temperature will reduce the amount of fuel needed to keep the heat up ?
@@EnglishCountryLife Of course dear chap. Our chimney sweep always comments on how clean the flue is and the glass door so we have the temperature right. I also use the top down method of lighting which eliminates the cold plug of air in the flue nice and quickly and as you mentioned this helps get the fire established.
Well, it's been 2 weeks since I watched this video and learned what the flue damper was actually for. Until now it has just remained un the fully open position leaving me blissfully unaware that huge amounts of heat was just scooshing up the flue in a futile bid to keep France warm. Now, thanks to Hugh, I close the damper at the appropriate time and the once errant heat is now heating up the firebox and hence the lounge. The really useful upshot of this is that I now typically burn about 1/3rd less fuel each night and the room gets warmer quicker and stays warm longer as the firebox is hotter. Happy days ! ( oops, that's another channel)
@@chrishamilton-wearing3232 I'm so glad it's been useful!
@@EnglishCountryLife Sorry, I forgot to say thank you. And big thanks from Lizzie and Herbie. (My wife and cat but which one is which ? )
@chrishamilton-wearing3232 You are very welcome!
One of the billion reasons I love this channel is how you both always present something with the clarity, intelligence, experience of an adult mixed with that "childish" star-in-the-eyes kind of vibe.
It's like that "look guys this stuff's awesome" yet calmly explain with passion how to use/do something in a clear, well spoken manner. There's barely any homesteading channel that manages to give that passionate feeling - yours is one of them, and it hit bullseye.
Awesome video once again.
That's so kind of you - thank you so much!
Chickens or not- I can’t get enough of your enthusiasm, me and my family take are hats off to you are we know running a farm isn’t easy, as we do run one, but to film and document it all for people to learn from, well I just find that incredible, so thank you Hue and Fiona
Thanks so much James, comments like this make it worthwhile!
Grew up with a wood burning range...although we burned turf in ours. It heated the water with the back-boiler, cooked our meals, heated the house and dried our clothes. Added bonus, warm shoes and socks in the morning if left beside it the night before. The oven was big. We could cook a large turkey in it for Christmas dinner. One year, due to a power cut, we were cooking our neighbour's Christmas dinner along with our own. First time we realised that not everyone had one. We took the knowledge for granted too of how to work one. We thought everyone knew how. My mother baked homemade bread, apple and rhubarb tarts and a myriad of other homemade goodies. Dad was clever and had the bath against the back wall where the wood burning range was. Never had issues with mould or damp. You don't realise how lucky you were until you move out of your parents house. Oil and gas heating systems just aren't the same. Here, they're pulling old ranges out of council houses. Now the people are looking for them back because the new systems are so rubbish. Thanks Hugh.
There is a great feeling that it just works. In the recent storms a power cut for others is a big issue. Not here!
We have a gorgeous range that came with our farm. We love it over winter! We often have a pot of 'perpetual stew' on it for several weeks when it gets really cold.
@@monkeypuzzlefarm They really do change the way you live don't they?
I really enjoyed this video. Absolutely charming!
@@IndigoCobalt Thank you so much!
Great video and great tip for the kettle.
@@KirstyHart-nq4wk Thanks Kirsty 🙂
Another great video. Thanks you!
@@brightantwerp That's very kind, thank you
I love wood burning cookers. We have had a Nordica since 2008. I only wish at the time we could of had one with a back boiler but just had to go with what we could afford.
@@katiegriffin3545 Back boilers can be a problem in a power cut so it might be a blessing
@@EnglishCountryLife Sorry, I was meaning a back boiler to supply hot water not central heating. We don't have a hot water storage cylinder. If we had one installed it would have had to go in the attic above the cooker so wouldn't need electric. Our hot water is supplied by a direct line gas heater. The Nordica heats our whole bungalow. We just leave all the room doors open.🙂
@katiegriffin3545 That's how we heat the cottage (indirect non-linear themosyphoning!)
I just love watching YT videos about wood cooker/ranges - so comforting to watch
They are lovely things
First I want to complement you on this video. I have watched a lot of wood stove cooking videos and yours is really of a higher quality than most. Well done.
Second, when my wife and I were looking for wood burning cookers over a decade ago, and after a lot of research, we narrowed it down to two stoves: The Esse and the La Nordica Rossella Plus Forno. We finally selected the La Nordica. Not that the Esse was an inferior stove (quite the contrary), rather that the La Nordica simply fit into our space and use pattern better on many levels. Including, but not limited to, we mostly winter cook only in the oven, and have little use for hobs (that is a grossly simplified explanation, but good enough for a youtube comment .... 🙂). Hope this helps.
Side note: I only use the top down fire starting method myself. Solves the cool flue issue at startup (.... usually.... else then cracking a window corrects this in all other cases) and avoids having to open the firebox door during startup to add wood (which always adds smoke into the living area, decreasing air quality). Again, hope this helps.
@@SaintCoemgen Top down is fine, it definitely works. In a bad situation (cold cap, no breeze) I find a kindling only fire is the best solution 😉
I have an old cottage with a range from 1880 I never really understood how it was supposed to work until now, thanks Hugh 👍😊
@@chrisbreen4413 Hi Chris! How the devil are you mate?
@ ok I’ve just sent you a message on WhatsApp
That was a great explanation and better than I would of done👍
@@inguzwulf Thank you, that's very kind
I hope one day to get a wood burning stove! Great information for when I get to live out my country life dream.
@@americanajooma4457 It's a lot of work, but lovely!
brilliant tutorial, I live on a wide beam barge and have an Esse Iron heart it is absolutely brilliant for heating and cooking, first time last year doing Christmas dinner and it came out spot on.
What a perfect stove for life afloat! Do you use smokeless or just wood?
@@EnglishCountryLife Yes, smokeless coal and an abundance of free wood, working as a manager on construction sites I get first dibs of any timber destined for the skip, half a bucket of coal when I go to bed and its still glowing in the morning, such a great combination of fire and oven.
@robpower100 First dibs is perfect - no shortage of kindling I bet!
Very informative video Hugh. The previous one was common knowledge for me, but i'm sure it was useful for those who don't know. I've never used a proper wood fired range, so had no idea about most of this stuff. Very interesting. Look forward to your next one. Hope you and Fiona are well. 🙂
@@hillbill79 Thanks Mark, we are stumbling along - how are you?
@@EnglishCountryLife I'm not too bad thanks mate. A few ongoing health issues but can't complain really. 👍
@hillbill79 You & me both mate!
Loved the video , looking forward to more
@@angelashurtleff Thanks Angela
I would really like to see you do a lot more cooking on the Esse on top and in the oven
Anything in particular Steven?
Maybe make some bread and some of your usual meals would be great many thanks steve
If you're using you wood burner for lengths of time, I'd highly recommend getting an ash tray- I'd love one on mine, I have to clean it out and it's a pain.
When you say an adh tray, do you mean one that the burning logs sit in?
Awesome info! I have some exposure to wood fires, but i was young. So the process of cooking on one, was not taught tto me. I know you stick your kettle or pot on it. Open the plate, for direct fire under the pot. Closed for no fire. And no oven on the ones i was around.
You've had more experience than most these days
We found your video very good and interesting, thank you.
Glad you enjoyed it
I grew up with solid fuel Rayburn's. The massive kettle lives on the oven side unless boiling water is needed, we also have a back boiler on them so in one of the bedrooms in the farm worker workers cottage (mine) stayed extra cosy without the bedroom fireplace lit.
Back boilers can be great - but the old ones that didn't need a pump were best
@EnglishCountryLife yep both were thermodynamic pumps. Took me ages to source a replacement for my uncles a few years ago
Thanks for this one.
@@allanjgray1 Glad you liked it
Interesting, thank you for showing this
My pleasure
Brilliant video, such a good insight to how thing were/still done, id love to have a go at cooking one one of these
They take a bit of getting used to but work really well. I'm just putting a couple of Ciabatta loaves in
I've lived with a wood for 4 winters now and never knew what the flue damper was for or how to use it. I thought it was to stop things falling down into the firebox during the summer! Doh ! Am I right in thinking that closing the damper once the fire is up to temperature will reduce the amount of fuel needed to keep the heat up ?
@@chrishamilton-wearing3232 Hi Chris, yes it will improve heat retention & make logs burn more slowly
@@EnglishCountryLife Thank you. The next time we light the fire the damper will be closed !
@@chrishamilton-wearing3232 But only when the flue is warm 😉
@@EnglishCountryLife Of course dear chap. Our chimney sweep always comments on how clean the flue is and the glass door so we have the temperature right. I also use the top down method of lighting which eliminates the cold plug of air in the flue nice and quickly and as you mentioned this helps get the fire established.